Au Revoir
by Bolmung LK
Summary: With HawkMoth defeated and their duties fulfilled, it was time to say goodbye one last time and give up their Miraculouses along with their memories of being super heroes. They parted ways without a single memory of their feelings for one another and everything should have gone back to normal; the way it was before the Miraculouses came into their lives. Except three years later...
1. Au Revior

_Au Revoir_

 _Ch. I – Au Revoir_

"Bugaboo! I got this!" Chat grinned at her as he stamped his pole on the ground boldly. She rolled her eyes as he waggled his eyebrows at her with that confident gleam in his eye that she secretly adored so much.

"Alright then, I'm counting on you _m'kitty_!" she teased back. "The hostages are all safe downstairs, but I'm gonna help them evacuate while you buy me some time. I need only a few minutes and I'll be right back."

They pumped their fists together in agreement. Ladybug dashed off to the basement to help the police with the victims while Chat Noir raced off to the attic where the foe awaited him. He ensured the coast was clear and scampered across the hallways one by one. Within a minute he was standing behind his mortal nemesis; Hawk Moth. The door was slammed shut behind him as he neared his fate. Hawk Moth had his back to him as he approached bravely.

"Chat Noir…." Hawk Moth turned towards him slowly with a stiff disapproving frown. "I was hoping for Ladybug, but you'll do for now."

"I'll give you just as much of a fight as m'lady would!" his fangs stuck out as he spoke. With a sudden serious tone he spoke, "This ends **now**. Right here and— _what?!_ " he froze as he glanced at an adjacent wall to see a familiar panting.

Hawk Moth watched Chat's intensely curious expression and turned to see the painting on the wall. "Oh that? She was my wife, but she vanished some time ago. She was once a beholder of a Miraculous too. The peacock feather to be precise."

"…..M… **M-Mom…**?" Noir choked out in horror. Hawk Moth quickly turned back to Noir, then to the painting, then back to Chat. He leered at the boy for a second without a word. They locked eyes for a moment and Chat's voice shattered. " **DAD!?** " he shook visibly.

Hawk's expression went from mild curiosity to sudden realization. " _Adrien…!_ "

Chat Noir took a step back in denial, something was wrong. There was a mistake somewhere, maybe mom had a twin or a look alike. But even then they wouldn't have the same painting and a son with the name 'Adrien'. Betrayal, guilt, and the feeling of being unloved enveloped him as his Miraculous deactivated to reveal his true form.

"It is **you** my son!" Hawk Moth stumbled forwards slightly.

"D-dad…." He took a deep breath. "You're a monster." The tremble in his voice cracked his words.

Hawk Moth deactivated his Miraculous to stand as Gabriele Agreste before him. He reached out with one hand shakily towards his child. "Join me, and I shall grant you the entire universe!" he offered with sincerity in his voice.

Adrien shook his head fearfully. "No… It's **me** or the Miraculous." He said as the first of tears welled up in his eyes. Gabriele withdrew his hand and felt what could be described as ' _shame_ '. For a moment he thought of his options and weighed them. He would **never** raise a hand to harm his son, but he was Chat Noir. They stared at each other, neither wavering in their stance. Tears streaked Adrien's cheeks as his tears poured forth and he sobbed slightly.

"What if I gave you Ladybug's Miraculous? We could rule the world together! As father and son! I could control people while you wielded the ultimate power! It's a perfect plan!" he threw his arms out with an unsure smile hoping that blood would overpower water.

" **Never!** " Adrien screeched as he held his ring up high. "Plagg, claws out!" he yelled as he transformed back into Chat Noir. He readied his pole at his father and prepared himself for the fight ahead.

Before him stood his son, the beautiful model, the graceful teenaged boy that carried on his legacy, and the only person in this world left in his heart at all. Gabriel felt the warmth of both love and tears overwhelm him.

"Adrien…I love you more than **anything** else…. More than fame…. More than money…." He spoke so gentle and with such love in his voice that Adrien's heart couldn't handle it.

"Don't even try to- to win me over with the words I've always wanted to hear!" Chat screamed loudly as he took a dauntless step forwards. Gabriele allowed a tear to stain his face as he kneeled down on one knee.

" **I love you more than power… More than myself…** " Gabriele spoke softly, acknowledging that he could not only not win his son over, but had no to heart to fight him. "Adrien, my most beloved child….the most precious being in all of Paris….. **in all the world** …" he spoke with sorrow as he placed a hand over his Miraculous. Adrien watched as he ripped the pendant off of his neck and held it outward towards him.

"Dad…" was all he could whisper as he reached out and placed his hand atop the pendant.

Gabriele looked up into Adrien's cat-eyes. "Let's go home, son." He said with a smile. His smile may have been weak, but it held a decade of locked up emotions that were imprisoned in his heart.

Adrien took the pendant and held it firmly as he watched his father stagger to the floor. Adrien kneeled by his side sobbing. He wasn't sure if he was ecstatic, mortified, or remorseful. "Dad! Dad! Get up! Are you ok?" he screeched out desperately.

"Who….are you?" Gabriele asked with a groggy voice. Adrien furrowed his brow through the mask as he looked into his father's face with confusion.

"Are you ok?" Chat asked again as he wiped his own tears away.

"I'm fine, but who are you…you… _cat-boy_?" Gabriele sat upright into a position to get a better look at this weird fellow.

"Chat!" came the voice of Ladybug as she ran down the hall and into the room where the two were kneeling on the floor. "Chat?" she questioned as she saw tears in his eyes.

"It's over Ladybug…" Chat smiled darkly. "We won." He whispered faintly.

Ladybug walked cautiously over to the two and examined the situation. She gasped when she saw what was in Chat Noir's grasp. "You did it! You beat him all on your own!" she exclaimed.

"I won alright…" he whimpered. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he truly won or not. On one hand Hawk Moth was no more, but then again it was apparent that his father lost his memories to some degree. The memories of being fond of his son for once.

"Why are you so grim Chat?" she asked worriedly.

"It's nothing!" he lied suddenly with a sharp inhale. "We won! We can all go home now and….and…"

Ladybug got her first good look at Hawk Moth's identity and took a step back in shock. "Gabriele Agreste!? Th-the fashion designer!?"

"Why yes, that's me." Gabriele said almost dumbly as he rose to his feet leaving the 'cat-boy' kneeling on the floor.

"I don't understand, what's going on here?" she asked.

"I'll explain later, for now we need to get Mr. Agreste home safely where he belongs." Chat said as he stood up and walked past Ladybug. She felt the dark aura wrapping itself around Chat and began to worry. This ended all too fast and she didn't even know what kind of battle the two fought or how Chat Noir managed to even win. She had so many questions that she felt like she shouldn't ask at the moment.

"Miss uhh…what's your name again?" Grabriele asked as he cleared his throat.

"I'm Ladybug, you know who I am don't you?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"Sounds familiar, aren't you one of those super heroes that fights crime in the streets of Paris at all hours of night and day?" he asked astounded.

"Why yes, yes I am!" she said proudly, but with mild confusion. Mr. Agreste knew who she was, what was going on here? "Sir, if you'd just come with me, we'll get you home safely."

XxX

Marinette sat in her room mulling over the details that Tikki and Chat Noir told her. She couldn't believe it, Hawk Moth was not only defeated, but he was Adrien's father all along and now he has no memories of being a super villain.

"That's the price you pay when you give up your Miraculous willingly." Tikki explained. "If someone steals it, then it's no big deal, you can just get it back. But when you place it in someone else's hands of your own free will…. You lose everything. I'm willing to bet that Mr. Agreste saw no other way out."

"That's so sad though, when Chat and I have to finally give up our Miraculouses I don't wanna lose my memories of you **or** him." She said bitterly.

"Like I said, _it's the price you pay_." Tikki sounded just as sad as Marinette.

"Oh, someday when I have to give my earrings up, I'll miss you dearly, even if I don't remember you. There will always be a hole in my heart where you belong." She sniffled as she spoke.

Tikki broke out into tears, something a Kwami doesn't normally do but once a lifetime. "Oh Marinette, I have some bad news for you!" she cried pathetically.

"Oh no, don't tell me…" Marinette could feel the rivers in her heart rising.

"Now that Hawk Moth is defeated, it's only a matter of time before Master comes to reclaim your Miraculous and we have to be separated."

"No!" Marinette snatched Tikki out of the air and snuggled her. "No! No!" she repeated hysterically.

"Marinette! Are you okay up there sweetie?" her mom asked as she rushed up the attic stairs and into her room. Tikki hid quickly, but Marinette was still a distraught mess. "Oh honey what happened?" she ran over to console her daughter.

"It's…it's nothing!" she choked out.

"This is **not** _nothing_!" she patted her on the back.

"My favorite…character on The Walking Dead died!" she said thoughtlessly.

"You look truly distressed over this character!" her mother said with genuine worry for her daughter's mentality.

"I'll be okay, I was okay after the last two of my favorites died last season!" she sobbed. Her emotions were legitimate, but her words were not.

"Well do try to calm down dearie. It is nearly midnight and you have school in the morning." Her mother sighed, what was she going to do with her?

"O-okay.." she whined as her mother retreated.

XxX

Plagg had explained everything as Adrien laid on his bed on his back feeling every emotion a mortal human could feel all at once. He felt heavy, he felt light, he felt small, bug, short and tall. He felt disgusted, he felt _happy_. He even felt relieved and burdened with a mixture of stressed and calm. His forehead was hot, but his feet were cold. His palms sweat slightly and his stomach rumbled hungrily.

"Adrien, it was fun pal, but nothing lasts forever." Plagg said as he sat on Adrien's heaving chest.

With each deep breath he took the cat was lifted and dropped gently. "I can handle the situation with my father, but….but what about Ladybug?" he asked hoarsely.

"Well, you could always see her one more time before Master decides to show up." Plagg suggested. "Tell her how ya feel, maybe she'll wanna stick with ya after you lose your memories."

Adrien thought on it for a bit, then sat up. Plagg rolled down from his chest and onto his lap harmlessly. He gave his kwami a look of desperation. "I want to see her again."

"Well let's go stroll Paris and see if she's up and about patrolling!"

"…again and again and again… I want to see her every day for the rest of my life."

"Oh boy!" Plagg floated up to his face. "Here come the water works again. Don't you know cats don't like water?!"

"Plagg….claws out…"

Marinette just couldn't sleep. She transformed into Ladybug and roamed Paris for an hour. Since she wasn't using her abilities Tikki was holding up much longer than usual. She heard an all too familiar sound from across the street and witnessed Chat Noir kicking a tin can around on the ground like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. It kind of warmed her heart, but the sorrow enveloped her once more.

"Chat!" she called out.

"Bugaboo!" Chat's eyes lit up. She smiled up at him as he ran across the street to forcefully push himself onto her and give her the biggest bear hug she'd ever gotten and lifted her feet off the ground by a few inches. She giggled at him, but was secretly in a little bit of pain. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath through his nose. He'd never forget her scent, not even with his memories erased. She smelled like fresh rain and tea leaves.

He let her down gently, but kept the hug intact. They remained silent for a moment that felt like it went on forever. His ring flashed just as her earrings beeped. She pulled away and sighed.

"I've got to go-" she was cut off by him holding onto her wrist tightly.

"We're free now, remember!" he smiled at her. "How bad would it be if we transformed right here right now?"

"Very bad! Someone could be watching or-"

The look of desperation on his face made her stop. The beeping quickened signifying that they were almost out of time, less than a minute left.

"Princess, even if it's just for the last few seconds of my memories as Chat Noir, I want to see your face just once. Just once is all I want. After that our memories will be gone and no one will ever know." He begged.

Thirty seconds left. She thought quickly.

"It's too dangerous here. Meet me at the top of the Eiffel Tower at midnight tomorrow." She said as she made a dash for a hiding spot. He nodded and retreated as well.

XxX

It was an agonizingly long day at school. Marinette was too depressed to even stare at the back of Adrien's head, and he was too far lost in his own misery to even hear the teacher preach or Chloe ramble at him. Why on Earth he ever decided to go to school today was beyond him. The day passed by so slowly that he feared he'd breakdown into a fit of tears before the final bell rang.

"Dude Adrien, you look down in the dumps man. What's going on with you today?" Nico asked from beside him with a nudge of his shoulder.

"Nico, have you ever wanted something that didn't belong to you? Something you were never allowed to have…." Adrien asked with a solemn tone as his eyes fixated on the ring on his finger.

"Yeah! That new boombox in the window at the music shop on main street. That…thing…is—Adrien man you look like you're whole family got murdered or something." Nico said, he wasn't wise at choosing his words.

"Might as well have." Adrien moped as he sunk his head into his hands. He considered for a moment if he and Ladybug could just run away together to some foreign country. He was fluent in Mandarin Chinese, so maybe they could live there? Every idea flashed through his mind, but he knew that Ladybug wouldn't go for it. She was very 'by-the-book' and wasn't one to run away from her problems.

' _Something that wasn't yours…'_ Marinette thought as she eavesdropped on their conversation. _'That sure sounds familiar.'_ Her hands absent mindedly went up to hear earrings and played with them. She patted her purse and felt the lump of warmth that was Tikki slumbering inside. A bittersweet smile graced her face just as Adrien turned around to face her.

Even though his heart and soul belonged to Ladybug, for just a moment his eyes belonged to Marinette. She looked like grace and elegance combined, not like her usual clumsy self. He turned back around and sighed deeply. He felt Plagg squirm slightly inside his jacket pocket and he smirked oh so lightly. He liked poking at Plagg to mess with him. Plagg had enough of Adrien's playfulness and took a quick sharp bite into his chest. Adrien flinched in pain and groaned a bit.

"Agreste, keep it down." Mrs. Bustier said then turned back to the board. "Now class, we have a special assignment. Adrien is going to be dancing with the winner of a contest next week, however he needs back up dancers to dance with the other finalists. His father suggested that everyone in the classroom be his backups."

"When did my father decide this?" Adrien's head snapped up.

"This morning." She said as she pulled out a cassette player and popped a tape into it. "Everyone get into tall-short pairs and head out to the gym." She ordered.

Chloe immediately launched herself into Adrian's arms, he could feel the frustration settling in already. He allowed her to hang onto him all the way to the gym because he had honestly stopped caring at that point. Marinette had her qualms but kept them to herself. Her thoughts were still preoccupied with Tikki and Chat Noir. They were stuffed into the gym where the teacher put on waltzing music and everyone got into pairs. Adrien had accepted his fate of dancing with Chloe when the teacher intervened.

"Miss Bourgeois, you're too tall to dance with Adrien. You will be with **him**." She pointed to Kim who blushed.

"Oh **yuck!** " she snorted as she stuck her tongue out. "I think Adrien can handle a _tall, perfect_ girl like me!" she batted her eyes at him.

Adrien was no stranger to waltzing, to be perfectly fair he really wouldn't have an issue dancing with a tall girl, but since he saw a way to escape he took it. "Sorry Chloe, I need my routine to be perfect. I need a shorter girl."

"I… I can bend my knees a bit!" she hunched over and gave a proud grin.

"Miss Bourgeois, that is a terrible dancing pose. You'll trip and fall over or even break your neck. Not to mention you look positively silly." The teacher scoffed.

"This whole dance is just stupid! I'll have you know I've waltzed with short princes before without a problem! Who wants to participate in a high school dance when I can just attend another prince's ball whenever I want?" she skulked off somewhere to go rage her heart out.

"Marinette, you're the perfect height, why don't you take Agreste as your partner?"

Marinette turned a bright shade of bliss. Adrien was more than happy to extend his hand out to her, he'd rather dance with a klutz than a monster. The music was turned on and the couples began their twirls and stumbles. Luckily for Marinette Adrien was experienced enough to move around any mistakes she made. They glided across the gym in harmony, her eyes never left his for a second except to twirl around. While the other couples tripped and froze up here and there, Marinette and Adrien were as one.

"Very good Dupain-Cheng!" the teacher applauded.

Marinette wasn't sure what she liked more, Adrien pushing and pulling her in all directions, the soul connecting eye contact, or the fact that he never once let go of her hand. She basked in the warmth he radiated and relished the feeling of his other arm around her waist. In her mind they'd just gotten married and it was their first dance as newlyweds. He leaned her down and hovered his face very close to her neck for a moment before pulling her back up and twirling her around again.

Chloe watched with seething anger from the distance. _'It should have been_ _ **me**_ _!'_

The dance ended and everyone clapped at the blushing couple, Marinette felt as light as a cloud. He bowed to her and kissed the top of her hand before excusing himself. Marinette sighed dreamily and held her hand up to her chest.

"Girl, you got 'em! He's yours now!" Alya whooped from behind her.

"Not quite yet I don't, all I nee-" she froze when she suddenly remembered that she was losing the majority of her memories tonight. All the happy feelings flooded out of her and her hands dropped from her chest down to her sides. She didn't have time to drool over Adrien, right now Chat Noir and Tikki were her top priority. She walked slowly towards the front door exit with Alya following her silently. Her friend observed her odd behavior, Marinette wasn't typically a depressed person, something bad was up.

Marinette let out a deep aggravated sigh as she flopped down onto one of the concrete stairs and buried her face in her hands. Alya gave her a quizzical look before placing a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"Okay, spill it. What's wrong girl?" Alya asked.

"I just…. Heard a bad rumor is all…" Marinette lied.

"Oh lord, if it's something Chloe said then don't pay any attention to it. That witch lies about everything and will say anything mean and nasty to hurt someone. No one even believes anything she says anyways. So why-"

"It's not Chloe." Marinette gave Alya a solemn expression. "It's Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"Ohhh! Gimme the _deets_ girl! I need to know everything about Ladybug for my Ladyblog!" she said with excitement as she whipped out her phone and began recording her friend. Marinette put a hand on Alya's phone and lowered it down and shook her head at her.

"I heard that since now the super heroes have defeated their villain….they won't be appearing anymore. Ladybug and Chat Noir are going to disappear…" Marinette fussed with her purse as she pet it like a kitten. It was destroying her to speak those words.

"N..no…. **NO!** " Alya stood up suddenly. "Who told you this?!" she demanded.

"I was nearby when they defeated Hawk Moth and…. I heard them talking about it, how they were going to…to…" She let tears flow again, she'd held it together fairly well all day at school. "Disappear." She finished with a sob.

Alya let out a horrific scream that alerted not only half the school to come rushing outside but also the police officer patrolling the streets came running. When they heard Alya ranting furiously about the rumor it began to spread like the plague. Within the hour it had made the news and the whole world was talking about it. Every news channel and broadcaster could only speak of the rumor.

' _I've gotta go public and confront the people myself.'_ Marinette and Adrien thought simultaneously.

They transformed somewhere private and stood out in public just waiting for a news reporter to spot them. Chat was found under the Eiffel Tower while Lady bug was seen in front of the Louvre museum. It didn't take but a few minutes for news cameras to surround them both.

"It's true." Ladybug said with a low tone. "Chat Noir and I are no longer needed now that Hawk Moth is gone."

"Are you going to do a face reveal before you go?" a reporter asked.

"Of course not, I wouldn't want my normal life to be consumed by the fans." She gave a small smile.

Chat wasn't having as much luck as her with the questions.

"Chat Noir! Is it true that you told a high school student about this?"

"No! She must've overheard us." He was exhausted already.

"Are you aware that Ladybug is making her goodbye speech at this very moment as well?" another reporter asked.

"She is!? Where?" his ears perked up.

"In front of the Louvre, you can't miss her-"

Chat Noir was gone in a flash and was off to his lady's side. When he arrived he was greeted by Ladybug gingerly. Their warm reunion didn't stop the press from doing their job…. _pressing_ them for information.

Alya squeezed her way in and asked Ladybug more questions than she could answer. She did her best to satisfy the crying girl, but she knew the only thing that could make Alya happy was something she could not do; stay forever.

"Chat, Lady, why aren't you going to stay and help catch ordinary bad guys like bank robbers and convicts?" Alya begged.

"Well that's what you have the police for and besides…" Ladybug frowned.

Chat spoke up for her instead. "We don't have a choice. We were given our powers for the sole sake of defeating Hawk Moth and nothing more. Our job is done and it's time for us to move on."

"He's right. Before we became Ladybug and Chat Noir, we were ordinary high school students with our own ordinary lives to live. It's time we went back to that and just let this all be one big happy _memory_."

The world would remember them, but they wouldn't remember themselves. Something they both found to be incredibly unfair.

"It's the price we pay." She whispered to him.

"And our burden to bear." He added.

Their Miraculouses beeped and they made a break for it and ran from the press as quickly as possible. They parted ways wordlessly, only a glance that spoke louder than the screams in their hearts.

' _See you tonight, m'ladybug…'_

She wanted to make tonight as special as possible, even if she wasn't going to remember it. She wanted her last moments of being Ladybug to be magical. As ordinary Marinette she slowly walked into her bakery and began cooking. Since Adrien liked her father's croissants she decided they'd be the perfect snack for sitting atop the Eiffel Tower with Chat. She placed them in an unmarked box, she didn't want Chat hanging around the bakery looking for her if he knew she ever came here. God forbid he finds out she works here. Not that he'd even remember, but she wasn't taking any chances. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already seven (nineteen). She wrote a note on her bedroom attic door saying she was staying the night with a friend and left.

The sun was quickly setting on the horizon and she decided she would sit at the top of the tower waiting for him. She arrived shortly after eight (twenty) and said her final goodbyes to Tikki before transforming. Since she wasn't being active or fighting an enemy her transformation could last for quite a while, hours even. It's once she uses her lucky charm that gets her snagged for time.

"Well, this is it Marinette." Tikki said in her tiny voice. Marinette stood there as she allowed her emotions to overflow onto her cheeks.

"Oh Tikki, I can't do this….but I have no choice." She said with a whimper. Tikki could tell that the poor girl was falling apart inside, but she was trying so damn hard to be strong.

"You'll always be Ladybug, with or without the costume!" Tikki said. Marinette only had three words left to tell her precious kwami.

" _Tikki….spots on…_ " she said for the last time ever.

Adrien had the same mindset as Marinette and climbed the tower earlier than planned to have time to clear his mind and reflect. You'd think the Eiffel Tower would be packed, especially as night drew near, but they were meeting up in a restricted upper section that only workers went to, which was hardly ever. When he reached the location he saw Ladybug sitting with her legs over the side with her back to him.

His angel sat so near to him, yet she would forever remain so very far away. He was tempted to walk up in trueform, but he decided that she might not believe it's him. He let Plagg out of his jacket and smiled up at him.

"So this it is, huh kid?" Plagg said quietly. Adrien looked down at his ring.

"It is. Plagg, thank you, for everything." He said warmly.

"Thank you too, _Chat Noir_." Plagg snickered at him. "Oh and…for the record…" Plagg paused and Adrien looked up at him curiously. "You were my **favorite** Chat Noir **ever**!" Plagg said jubilantly.

"Oh you're just saying that to cheer me up." Adrien smirked.

"No I mean it! It's not just flattery! The others were….narcissists. I mean you're a model and all, but you rarely act like one and…I'm gonna miss ya buddy!" Plagg teared up and flew to snuggle Adrien's cheek.

"I'll miss you too, even if I don't know it."

"I hope the next Chat Noir is like you." Plagg sniffled.

"Plagg…"

"Yeah Chat?"

" _Claws out…"_ he said weakly.

He transformed one final time and relished it. He reached down to pick up his bag and noticed something familiar on the ground. _'A boombox?'_ he thought curiously. A visitor must have left it there, but it looked exactly like the one from school. He assumed his teacher had left it there and shrugged it off. He slowly walked over to stand behind Ladybug and just stared at the back of her head. She sensed his presence.

"You're early." She said softly. She was secretly glad, it meant that they had more time together. He took a seat next to her before noticing the solid white box beside her.

"I wanted more time with my Bugaboo!" she grinned at her and she immediately smiled wide. Something about him cheered her up no matter how grave the situation.

They talked for hours and just joked around. There was no specific topic, just their crime fighting experiences, their hopes and dreams, and their regrets. Everything they never got to say in between cases of akumatized victims was finally said. Since they hardly got to speak so casually because of time restraints on their disguises it was a refreshing change. They ate the croissants and drank the wine that he brought as they watched the sun drift off lazily to sleep.

"I want this moment to last forever." He said whimsically. "I wish time would just freeze. I would be totally content with living the rest of eternity at the top of the Eiffel Tower with you." He sighed dreamily at the thought.

She giggled lightly. "I'm not so sure about that, I do want to get married someday and have kids. I also wanna take over mom and dad's baaa—bath house!" she stuttered almost forgetting herself.

"Your parents run a bath house?" he asked with a snort. "Who even goes to those anymore?"

"Lots of people!" she huffed and crossed her arms.

"Aww come on Princess, I'm only teasing." He poked her arm with his claw. She tried not to smile, but she couldn't help it. His cheesy grin and eyebrow waggle were too much for her to not laugh.

"I'm glad we get along so well, it would have been too chaotic if one of us was a jerk." She said as she closed her eyes and basked in the moon's light. She looked divine in this moment, eternal even.

"Speaking of getting along well… I'm sure you probably already know this, but…" he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and she looked over at his pained expression. "…but I gotta say it at least once."

Oh boy, here it comes.

"Ladybug." He started and turned to her. She knew what this was and she wasn't about to take this moment away from him. She hoped it gave him closure. "I love you."

Her next words weren't what he was expecting to hear at all though.

"Oh Chat, I love you too, but there's someone who I loved first and whom I love more. Besides, any romance between us is strictly taboo." She explained with sorrow in her words. "We must never know who the other really is and we can't be together. We have to turn in our Miraculouses and lose our memories. We won't even remember being in love."

"I know that!" his voice hitched loudly. "But… just for a moment I want to pretend… pretend there's a way to…to.." he sobbed out. She could hear the desperation in his voice. Tears slid down his mask and down to his chin.

She couldn't take it anymore and wrapped her arms around him; a hug that was more than welcome and was returned quite strongly. His grip on her was just as tight as the previous night. She let him sob into her shoulder while she wept silently on his. They stayed like this for a minute before she began stroking hit soft blonde hair. It soothed him somewhat, but the anguish was still there.

In the distance an older man watched them and smiled. "I see no harm in letting those two remain together. They aren't like the old Ladybug and Chat Noir who-"

"You don't have to remind me!" shivered the kwami. "I still have nightmares about that night every once in a while!"

"Well I won't be reclaiming the Miraculouses right now, I'll let these two handle it until they pass away. The Miraculouses are probably in the best care as they are at this very moment." He said before pressing 'play' on the cassette player and vanishing.

Chat and Lady heard a noise from behind them and they both whirled around quickly hoping that they hadn't been spotted. All they heard was the familiar waltz music from school.

"The ballroom waltz song? The one for the contest with Adrien Agreste?" she asked cautiously.

"Your school is doing that silly dance thing too? My class had to do it as well." Chat said with an eye roll. "Although my dance partner was pretty cute… N-not as cute as you though!" he stuttered.

"Ohhh, why don't you marry her then?" Lady asked with a cheeky grin.

"I just might!" he crossed his arms and smirked at her. "She's my top pick aside from you right now."

They took turns teasing one another for a bit before Chat bowed down to her. "M'lady, wish to see who's a better waltzer?" He winked.

"I'll have you know **my partner** was a _professional_!" she said proudly and linked arms with him.

He took her hand in his and placed a hand on her slender waist. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gently slit it half way up his neck. She let some of his blonde locks between her fingers as they began to move very slowly. At first they stuck to the strict rules of proper waltzing before they slowly dissolved into some crazy version of the tango. They swung each other around almost violently, laughing and enjoying the freedom of the moment.

He let her drop down and let her slide under his open legs and pop up behind him. He spun around and lifted her off the ground and swirled her around before catching her in his arms and she descended back down to the ground. They held hands as they spun each other around in a circle and locked eyes as all of Paris spun behind them. He made her do a triple spin before grabbing her back into his hug. Her mouth was less than an inch from his and he took his shot, but she moved away too quickly and gave him a knowing, but flirty, smile. She was teasing him and he was going to get what he wanted from this vixen.

Their dance was all over the place, like they were rehearsing for broadway or some elaborate school play. Finally when they were exhausted they flopped down onto the ground on their backs panting. Their occasional giggle or heavy breathing was the only sound aside from the slow romantic music.

"I wish I could dance like that with…." She paused almost having said her crush's name.

"With your other boyfriend?" He asked.

"Other!? Neither of you are my boyfriend!" she exclaimed loudly with a beat red face.

"For the next fifteen minutes until midnight… will you be my girlfriend?" he asked as he laid his head next to hers.

She didn't even think before speaking. "Yes."

It was the happiest fifteen minutes of his life. He jumped up into a sitting position beside her and she followed suit. They sat face to face and spoke words of endearment and what their plans for the future were. He boldly asked her to sit in his lap and she obliged. She'd never had a boyfriend before or ever sat in a boy's lap. She thought it would be awkward, but it wasn't. He sat with his legs crossed while she sat with her bottom between his legs and her legs off to the side laying over his left leg. He put his arms around her and snugged the top of her head with his nose.

Seconds ticked by as they spoke. Seconds turned into minutes.

"At the stroke of midnight, will you remove my ring?" he asked with a gentle voice.

"And will you remove my earrings too, at the same time?" she asked and he mumbled an agreement.

Midnight drew near, just five minutes left.

"Have you ever been kissed before?" she asked knowing he didn't remember the kiss from when he was infected by Dark Cupid.

"No, girls have tried, but I wasn't interested in them. But I'd love to be kissed by you." He said and she blushed.

"I was kind of kissed once, does CPR count?" she asked knowing she was lying. It might as well have been CPR in his case.

"I'd say definitely not, if it was just to save someone then no. A **real** kiss is because you can't bear another second without their lips on yours."

"Then I want a real kiss." She said as she looked up into his eyes. It was usually him who made the first move, but she was taking the initiative and he loved it.

They stood up just as the midnight bells began chiming from the clock tower across the way. One minute was left and the bells would stop exactly at midnight. He took her hands in his and nervously leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. Their eyes were so close and she could see the words he wanted to speak written in his cat irises.

"I love you so much _m'lady_ …"

"I love you too m' _kitty_ …"

Their lips finally met as her hands went to his hair and neck while his wrapped tightly around her waist and back. Her lips parted slightly as he turned his head to the side a bit. She grabbed at his surprisingly soft hair as his hand went up so the side of her face. She stroked one of his cat ears once only find that it was merely part of the costume and entirely aesthetical. Her ear was in the palm of his hand. He was tempted to not take her earrings, but he knew what must be done. One of her hands went down his shoulder, traveled down his arm and down to his hand.

The chimes grew weaker signaling that there was less than ten seconds before midnight.

Their lips remained locked together as she gently slid his ring off and he pulled off one of her earrings.

" _Au revior…"_ he whispered onto her lips as their transformations vanished.

 _ **BLK: There will be a second and third chapter. I just have to find time to write it.**_

 _ **Also 99% of the info in this is made up. I have no proof/reason to think that giving up your Miraculous actually erases your memories in the canon show. Also anything in this story about Adrien's mother is 100% fabricated. If something sounds fishy and uncanon, chances are it is because it is false.**_


	2. Trois

_Au Revior_

 _Ch. II – Trois_

The elegance of the waltzing music sided with the fading chimes of the clock tower's stroke of midnight complimented the ambience of Paris' nightlife well. It didn't bring any explanations as to why two teenagers are lip locked at the top of the Eiffel Tower however. It felt so natural to have her lips against someone else's, but her mind was too numb to even ask herself _who_ she was even kissing. She felt the anguish and excitement of the moments leading up to this point, but she just couldn't place where she was or why.

His lips remained pressed against hers as his mind reeled and his eyes opened slightly. He blinked before opening his eyes all the way to witness the blurry sight of his classmate's face. He blushed hard and backed his head up an inch or two and gasped silently. Marinette opened her eyes and let reality take hold of her senses.

"A-adri…en..?" she asked with a hazy whisper.

"Marinette? What are...we….doing?" he asked as he glanced all around before noticing that he had his arms wrapped around her dainty waist. Her arms loosened around his neck and her hands naturally rested on his shoulders. She blinked several times before turning into a lovely shade of horror and embarrassment. _She was hugging Adrien Agreste!_

' _Were we kissing just now!?'_ she thought as she stared into his confused neon eyes.

His hand went from her waist to her cheek where he wiped away one of her tears. She hadn't realized that she'd been crying. It wasn't until she noticed that he was crying as well that she backed away from him slightly.

"Marinette?" he asked with wonder as he stared at her adorable expression.

"I…uhh…so we were…did we…? **Did we!?** " she stuttered, unable to form a full sentence.

"I think we were kissing." Adrien said with a nervous chuckle. "But why?"

Marinette stuttered some more undecipherable words before Adrien took a good look around them.

"Are we on top of the Eiffel Tower?!" he asked loudly as he ran to the railing and looked down at all of Paris lit up by nightlights. The music drifted into his mind and recognized it as the music they danced to yesterday as practice for the ballroom contest.

"Ei-eiffel…Tower?" she asked as she too began looking all around. She clenched whatever was in her hand and walked over to the railing beside him. "When did we get here?" she asked with more poise.

"I don't know, but the clock tower across the way says it's exactly midnight." He gave her a suspicious glance. "Are you sure you aren't Cinderella or something?" he asked jokingly.

"Eeek!" she squeaked. She wasn't sure if she was fearful or excited by his words. What if he thinks she lured him there or if she drugged him? She was just as confused as he was though.

"Aren't these the croissants made at your parents' bakery?" he asked as he picked up the box of half-eaten pastries.

"Why yes…they are.." she said slowly.

He could taste them in the back of his mouth, along with the faint hint of wine. It dawned on him just then; the music, the croissants, the wine, the Eiffel Tower at midnight, the kiss, the crying…..

"Were we on a secret date?" he asked as he gave her the most endearing expression. She wanted to faint right then and there. Adrien was too perfect for words and the moment was too dreamlike to be real.

' _Gods…please don't wake me!'_ she prayed. She hoped she'd slipped into a beautiful coma to never wake again; except for a kiss by dear Adrien of course.

"Earth to Marinette!" he placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly.

"I'm s-sorry!" she said quickly as she snapped out of her daze.

"Do you think we just drank too much wine and now we can't remember anything? It would certainly explain the crying…" he mused as he examined the empty wine bottle.

"That must be why!" she gave a nervous giggle. "So-" she bit her lip as she froze up.

' _Is this his ring?_ ' she thought as she examined the silver band in her grasp. _'Oh no! What if he thinks I stole it?'_ Panic was beginning to settle in.

"Oh crap! It's after midnight! Dad's gonna kill me for being out this late!" Adrien exclaimed with fear.

"Oh my gosh! We have school tomorrow! Don't you have a photoshoot tomorrow too?" she asked with a hand over her mouth.

"Yeah, how did you know that?" he asked with a mildly confused stare.

"Oh uhh… you mentioned it in class yesterday…" she lied.

"Maybe I did?" he asked himself. "Well we can talk about this tomorrow, I want to sneak back in before my father gets back from his office. He usually stays pretty late, but maybe I can beat him home."

"Oh—okay…" she said shakily as she watched him scamper around for the stairs down. Much to his disappointment he couldn't find any.

"Uhh Marinette, why are we on the top floor? There's no way down from here!" he began to panic.

"That's a good question, how in the world did we even get up here?" she looked all around for an elevator shaft or even a pole to climb down on.

"Beats me, maybe I had one of my dad's personal helicopters drop us off?" he pondered. "Nah, the whole world would have seen it on the news if a helicopter came near the tower."

"Maybe we climbed up this passage?" she asked as she pointed to a small square manhole in the floor with just a pole and some foot hinges sticking out.

"Oh that's dangerous!" he said with a leery look. "I think we'd fall to our deaths if we tried climbing that."

"No big deal!" she said boldly. "I used to climb super high trees when I was a kid, this looks like a piece of cake!"

He watched in awe as she masterfully climbed down the makeshift ladder over a hundred feet. He smiled at her bravery and followed her cautiously. Once on the ground he was a nervous wreck while she beamed with pride. He complimented her skills and she turned back into jelly.

"Well I don't have much time to talk, I gotta get home as fast as possible." He said nervously looked at the clock tower again with anxiety. "But we can talk later."

She walked home in a dreamy state. "Oh it was so wonderful!" she said as she opened her purse. She stopped in her tracks and questioned herself.

' _Why am I talking to my_ _ **purse**_ _? Man I really am losing my mind!'_ she thought to herself as she began walking again. The warmth of Adrien's lips invaded her thoughts and she did a twirl in the streets. Thankfully there were no onlookers or she'd have been embarrassed.

When she finally made it home she found that her door was locked and she was too scared to knock on the door or call, she'd be grounded for life if they caught her outside at this hour.

' _I know! Alya!'_ she thought and she whipped out her phone and rang her friend.

"Girl, do you even own a clock?" said the spunky Alya with a yawn.

"Alya it's an emergency!" Marinette said with desperation.

"What's wrong!?"

"I had a secret date with Adrien and now I'm locked out of my house after curfew!" she blurted out quickly.

" **I'll be there in five minutes!** "

True to her word Alya was there before Marinette could even think of another plan to get herself back inside without waking her parents up.

"I need the deets, **right now**!" Alya panted as she ran up to the bluenette's side.

"There's no time, I need to get back inside before my parents notice I'm gone—" Marinette paused then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Wait a sec… I remember putting a note on my attic door that I was staying over with a friend last night…"

Alya grinned from ear to ear. "Oh there's plenty of time for details now!"

The two gossiped as they walked to Alya's apartment. "Secret date? I need to know what you mean!"

"I don't know what I mean!" she stammered. "One minute I'm standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower making out with him and the next we're trying to find a way to get home!" she explained with excessive hand and arm gestures.

"Every detail, I need **every single little detail!** "Alya said with almost lust in her voice.

Marinette spent the night with Alya while she told her everything she could remember and the next morning they walked to school together. Alya was over the moon for her friend, but Marinette couldn't shake a bad feeling she had. Much to her dismay Adrien was absent from class that morning. She wasn't sure if he was too humiliated to show his face or if he got caught trying to sneak in and got grounded.

"Class I have some both good and unfortunate news for you all." Mrs. Bustier began and everyone turned their attention towards her. "Both Agreste and Bourgeois have been pulled from school to complete their learnings at home. This means we will be getting two new students within the next week or so. New chances to make new friends."

"Oh no…" Marinette whined. "I got him in trouble, didn't I?" She clutched the ring in her grasp. She should have given it back to him, but she didn't know what to say.

She knew from then on out that Adrien would never speak to her again. Her actions had taken his freedom from him, something she'd never forgive herself for.

 _Trois_

"Oh Adrikins, it's beaufitul!" Chloe exclaimed as she examined her new diamond ring in the sunlight. She lay on a lawn chair in a bikini by the poolside. Adrien sat in a swimsuit next to her expressionless; soulless.

"It was my mom's." he said flatly. He despised that his mother's ring was in Chloe's possession, but it was not by his choice.

"I can't believe we're finally getting married!" she grinned wickedly. "Now that we're twenty one and through with that _icky_ college stuff we can be together and take over your father's business."

He had made an oath to his father three years prior, as punishment for his actions that night on the Eiffel Tower he would wed a woman of his father's choosing after college graduation. Who other than Chloe Bourgeois would he pick? She was practically royalty in the eyes of Paris.

"Adrikins, call me Princess from now on, 'kay?" she whined pathetically.

"Okay." He said in monotone, thoroughly defeated. He had no choice but to accept his fate, there was no way out that didn't tear his father's life or his own life to shreds, or Chloe's life for that matter.

"What's wrong with you? Quit moping and take that damned silly dime-store earring off!" she shrieked at him.

' _This earring….is precious to me.'_ He thought as his hand went up to his left ear and toyed with it. He had only one piercing and it was in the upper part of his left ear, it was the earring he had in his hand when he and Marinette parted at the Eiffel Tower that fateful night three years ago. It was all he had left of that strangely wonderful moment. He knew the earring was hers, he'd seen her wearing it in class all the time, but he couldn't find a way to meet up with her to give it back.

"Do lighten up Adrien." Spoke the cold words of his father. "Chloe is a beautiful, sophisticated woman. She even reminds me of your mother a bit. Not to mention, mommy-dearest gave her blessings years ago."

Adrien seethed beneath is calm exterior. Those words were the most untrue ever spoken by that man.

Fate was crueler than Chloe.

XxX

Her hands worked as fast as they could go. She had an order of five hundred croissants and one thousand chocolate chip cookies for an event in two days. Marinette and her parents took shifts baking at all hours just to complete the order. Marinette let a tear roll down her cheek, this order was for the Agreste-Bourgeois wedding this weekend. As she rolled the dough into a crescent shape she let a tear trickle down her chin and into Adrien's ring that was strung through a necklace.

To always keep him close to her heart.

She hadn't spoken to him since that night, he never returned to class, and his photoshoots became scarce and heavily guarded. Chloe began appearing in them and shortly after their engagement was announced publicly. With Chloe's father reinstated as the mayor again and again that witch was never going to fall out of power.

"Don't forget to start the fondant flowers for the cake." Her father reminded her. He couldn't fathom why his daughter was so depressed over a boy she hadn't seen in years, but he understood that she and the Agreste boy were at one time quite close.

"I will papa." She said softly. She sighed miserably, this is not how she wanted her life to turn out after graduation. She had an excellent culinary degree with a fashion degree on the way and she'd become fluent in English and Chinese. She had plans to get married and open a French style bakery in China, but she foresaw those dreams slipping further away every day. Her heart was sold to a boy who sold his own heart to the devil.

Finally at dawn the cake flowers were finished. They were pink roses with little ladybugs on the leaves. Chloe was a huge fan of Ladybug and ever since her disappearance merchandise has been flying off the shelves. Chat Noir memorabilia was popular too, but Ladybug merchandise was where the real money was. With a heavy heart she placed the flowers expertly all over the five tier cake. This cake was probably heavier than she was and stood about five feet tall. It was large enough to feed over five hundred people with enough to spare for left overs.

As a courtesy for such a large order she made a batch of green and red bon-bons for the bride and groom. This wasn't a standard thing for their shop, but it's something she wanted to do for Adrien. She put a pretty ribbon on the box with their company logo on it and set it in the fridge.

Adrien paced around his room, the wedding was in two days and Chloe was turning into 'bridezilla' already. She controlled everything from the color of his tie, to the boxers he was going to wear on their honey moon, to the brand of toothpaste he used before the 'I do' kiss. It was driving him mad. He wasn't allowed to eat spinach, artichokes, lemons, or anything she didn't like prior to the wedding.

"I am **not** going to let you wear that ugly earring to the wedding!" she stamped her heel on the ground.

"But it's my lucky earring, what's so wrong with it? Everyone sees me wearing it in ads and magazines." He retorted.

"Don't talk back to me like that!" she scolded with a finger in his face. "It looks trashy, the only reason the press likes it is because it's _edgy_. I don't want _edgy_ on my wedding day. Go get a diamond stud earring!" She huffed angrily and turned her back on him.

He grimaced at her while she wasn't looking and stood up from his seat. He left the mansion grounds and went to a jewelry store where he purchased an ordinary diamond stud like Chloe requested. He mournfully took off Marinette's earring and pinned it to his shirt and put the diamond in place on his left ear. He looked in the mirror and frowned, it was gaudy, especially on a young man.

When he returned Chloe was ecstatic and jumped all over him with words of affection. "See Adrikins, isn't that just _sooo_ much better than that old garbage—take it off…." She demanded when she saw it pinned to his shirt.

"I'll take it off for the wedding." He said stone faced.

"No, take it off **now**!" she hissed. "I don't ever want to see you wear that thing ever again!"

"I will take it off right before the wedding and no sooner!" he shouted back at her with rage. She gasped, how dare he speak to her like that. She snatched it off of his shirt and ran over to the open window and before he could catch her she tossed it out into the pond.

"There, it's gone forever now!" she stuck her nose in the air and walked away briskly. She was damn well aware how absurd her demands were and that her actions were very wrong and hurtful, but it was **her** wedding and she was going to get her way.

Adrien stood mortified as he staggered over to the window and watched as the koi fish went nuts. They likely ate the earring and Adrien sunk to the floor in defeat. A scoffing noise from the other side of the room made him turn his attention to the doorway where his father stood stiffly.

"This is why you should never defy your _wife_." He said coldly. There was no emotion to the man's tone, only dominance.

Adrien shrieked in madness as his father left the room. He slammed his fists onto the wall and rolled onto his back and kicked at the window sill like a child having a tantrum. Tears of pure anger pours down his cheeks as he rushed upwards and grabbed a chair and threw it through the window. He felt like the Hulk for a moment before he forced himself to calm down. He choked and sobbed slightly as he stood there shaking before the shattered window.

' _Mom, where are you?!'_ his mind screamed as he sunk to the floor and whimpered to himself.

Sabrina, Chloe's longtime friend, came into the room and offered a hand to Adrien who took it gently and allowed her to help him stand up.

"I know it's rough, but if you just do what she says she's actually capable of being sweet." Sabrina said in her tiny voice.

"I can't do that like you do. I'm too stubborn." He said as he pulled out the diamond earring and gave it to her. Sabrina's eyes went wide like the moon, she'd never had a diamond anything before. Adrien was about to allow himself a moment to smile at her, but he noticed something pinned to her vest. "Sabrina, where did you get that pendant?"

"Oh this? Chloe gave it to me years ago when we started high school together." She said as she placed a hand over the flower gem.

Anger took over his heart once more, this time it came back with a wrath that no one had ever witnessed in him before. **"My mother gave that to Chloe the day she disappeared."** He said darkly though grit teeth.

Sabrina took a step back in terror, she'd never seen the beautiful Adrien Agreste this _ugly_ before. Never before had such animosity taken hold of Adrien's mind and soul. Sabrina tried to mumble an apology, but she was too scared of this demon that stood before her to even speak properly.

" **It's ok, you can keep that trash."** He said with a hideous scowl.

Chloe was trying on her wedding dress again, for the eight time that week and admiring herself in the mirror. She turned in all directions, twirled around, posed, and made kissy faces at herself. She deemed herself the most beautiful bride in the history of mankind. She was missing a finishing touch however.

' _I know!'_ she thought mischievously as she walked over to her jewelry box and plucked out a butterfly pendant that Adrien had given to her as an engagement gift last year. She'd never worn it before, but it seemed like the perfect adornment to walk down the aisle with.

She pinned it to the breastline of her gown and did another spin around. "Perfection!" she shouted elatedly. Her excitement turned to slight fear when she saw a large bug floating around her head.

" _Eiii!"_ she screamed and threw the nearest object to her at the floating creature. She threw books, shoes, and perfume bottles at the purple floating bug before it cornered her.

"Calm down! Calm down!" the bug said in a soothing tone. Chloe shrieked and screeched at the bug, but it wouldn't leave her alone. "I'm Nooroo, it is nice to meet you _Hawk Moth_."

"H-h….Hawk Moth? As in that super villain that Ladybug and Chat Noir defeated three years ago?" she asked with a leery glare.

"Y-yes…?" Nooroo scratched his head, he honestly wasn't sure, he hadn't truly witnessed the final battle for himself. "You're wearing my Miraculous, so you're the new Hawk Moth!" Nooroo shirped happily. He knew nothing about his new master, but he hoped that since she was a young girl in a pretty dress that she'd be nicer than Gabriele Agreste.

Oh how terribly wrong that assumption was.

" **I'm** Hawk Moth now? **Me?** " she stood up slowly with an astonished face.

"Indeed! Together you and I will fight crime in Paris, or even all over the world!" he said happily. Surely any master was better than Gabriele Agreste. Right?

"So I can akumatize people into obeying me?" she asked with a shaky inspiration in her voice.

"Yes, you can obtain an army of followers that will do good in the world and-"

"How do I transform?" Chloe asked quickly with insanity in her eyes.

"Just say _'Nooroo, wings rise'_ and I'm at your command!" he cheered.

She let loose the most villainous cackle Nooroo had ever heard, he was hoping it was just out of shock and not impure intentions. "Nooroo, _wings rise_!" she shouted and held her arms out to embrace her transformation.

As she transformed she reveled in the feeling of the power than enveloped her every fiber. She admired herself in the mirror. Her suit was all purple and black leather with stiletto heels and a black face mask. The butterfly pendant, her Miraculous, sat over her heart where it was when she was wearing the dress. A flock of butterflies surrounded her and she sighed dreamily, **this** is what her heart longed for; true power.

Absolute control!

She akumatized a butterfly as she chuckled deeply to herself. "Oh Adrikins will love me!" she exclaimed as she let it fly free. "Obey me Adrien Agreste!"

The akuma flew around the mansion until it found the vexed Adrien. He bit his lip until it bled as he paced around his room thinking of his options. On one hand he could just run away and disappear, but that would ruin his father's life and make Chloe miserable forever. Then on the other hand he could become stern and start bossing Chloe around just like she does to him.

The third option… simply lower his head and obey Chloe and his father. Something he had no desire to do. Sabrina was right though, it would be the _easiest_ , but the most painful way. The butterfly landed on his engagement ring that Chloe had gotten him and he became enveloped with the dark aura of hatred.

" _ **Adrien Agreste, the best path for you is to obey."**_

Adrien's face went soft and blank. "Yes, Of course it is _m'lady_."

Chloe dropped her transformation, changed out of her wedding gown and pinned the Miraculous to her tube top. She excitedly made her way down to Adrien's room where she flung herself into his arms. He greeted her warmly by addressing her as 'Princess' and kissing the top of her hand.

"That's more like it!" she purred at him.

He then did something he'd never done before and leaned in and grabbed her lips with his own. She melted in his grasp as her knees went week. Nooroo watched from the distance.

' _This isn't…so bad….yet…'_ he thought with a shiver. _'Just as long as it doesn't get any worse…'_

 _ **BLK: Why is it that Nooroo always gets the villains as his master?!**_


	3. Ensemble

_Au Revior_

 _Ch. III – Ensemble_

Marinette awoke with less than twenty four hours until the wedding and slumped out of bed. Her chain necklace with Adrien's ring on it swung around and booped her on the nose as she stood up. This caused her to trip over her blankets and fall over.

' _Yup, I sure grew up into a graceful young lady, didn't I?'_ she thought in despair. The wedding between Adrien and Chloe tomorrow had her heart in knots, it was pure agony to her and she was ready to break down at any second now.

She picked herself up off the ground and headed to her bathroom where she took a hot shower. She never took the necklace off and always examined it when bored or sad. It was _Adrien's_ ring! It was her most beloved possession ever. For the fun of it she took it off the chain and slipped it on over her left ring finger as if being engaged to Adrien. She admired it and closed her eyes as a strange warm feeling enveloped her. A vibration in her chest radiated from her very soul and sheer bliss overtook her mind. She felt as if she were purring.

Her thoughts were sent back to that night on the Eiffel Tower where she and Adrien's lips met. A powerful force from within her exploded forth through her senses. She'd never felt an emotion this powerful before. It was love.

"Woah! Bit of a warning before you show up naked!" came a tiny voice from beyond her shower curtain. She whipped her head around in shock, she didn't recognize this voice. A tiny black hover-cat peered at her and she let loose a wail of surprise as the kitten giggled at her.

"Wh-who are you?" she examined the cat. " _What_ are you?!"

"The name's Plagg, I'm your kwami from now on, nice to mee-"

"Eeek!" she swatted at him with her palm.

"Relax! I'm your ally!" he pleaded and she wrapped the shower curtain around herself.

"What's going on!?" she said through chattering teeth.

"I'm Plagg, and I'm here to help you fight crime and defeat villains. You're the new Chat Noir!" he said exuberantly.

Her fear was put on hold as she marveled at him. " _I'm Chat Noir?"_ she asked dumbfounded.

"Yeah! I've never had a female as Chat Noir before, so this outta be interesting!" he chided.

"Wow!" she gasped as she admired the ring and Plagg.

"To transform just say _'Plagg, claws out'."_ he winked.

She turned her shower off and wrapped a towel around herself and leapt out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. Plagg gave her some privacy while she put on her clothes in a mad rush. She squealed with delight as Plagg returned to the room. She wasn't sure what to say other than another loud squeal as she pranced in place.

"Well?" Plagg asked. "Aren't you gonna transform?"

She nodded eagerly and held the ring up. "Plagg, claws out!"

The black mask of the ancient cat fit onto her face perfectly as she waved the ears over her hair. The rest of the skin tight black suit appeared as well as the black stilettoes that were slightly taller than the original Chat Noir's. She felt the claws erupt from her finger tips and the fangs protrude from her mouth. She gave herself a look up and down in the mirror and grinned at her blue cat eyes. The metal pole attached to her belt beeped bright green and she picked it up.

' _Don't tell me…'_ she grimaced. _'I've only been Chat Noir for thirty seconds and someone has already been akumatized?'_

She dashed off of her balcony and into broad daylight for all to see. She raced around Paris to see if anything was out of order, but found nothing but news reporters and helicopters chasing her. She didn't want too much attention on her first day being a super hero so she found a hiding spot to untransform. As Marinette she casually strolled down the street to see masses of people cheering and whooping for Chat Noir. It brought a smile to her face. She glanced down at the Miraculous ring and it dawned on her.

' _Adrien's ring was the Chat Noir Miraculous?!'_

Plagg stuck his head out of her purse and hid behind her untied hair so no one could see him. "The previous Chat Noir is in trouble, I can feel it!"

"Was it Adrien Agreste?!" she asked with a whisper hoping no one was within hearing range.

"How'd you know that?" Plagg asked.

"This Miraculous was his ring. He gave it to me at the top of the Eiffel Tower three years ago." She said as she held the ring up for Plagg to see.

Realization dawned on Plagg, _**this girl was the original Ladybug!**_

"Well, it's nice to meet you, _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_!" Plagg smirked at her. He then spotted something off about her, she was wearing the Ladybug Miraculous earring, well one of them anyways.

"Marinette, where's your other earring?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh I lost it at the Eiffel Tower, it must've fallen off when Adrien and I were climbing down the tower."

"No, it must've fallen off before then." He said. "If you held the ring **and** the earrings at the same time you'd of become a supreme being. Clearly that didn't happen so at some point before you got the ring your earring fell off." Plagg explained.

"Wait what? What's so special about my earrings?" she asked.

"Do you even remember where you got them from?"

"….no…" she frowned. "They were just….there one day…"

"Good grief girl, they were Ladybug's Miraculous! **You** were Ladybug!"

Miranette's eyes went wide. **She** was Ladybug and **Adrien** was Chat Noir?! "So that explains why we were at the Eiffel Tower together!"

"You were supposed to be saying goodbye forever, how in the world did this even happen!?" Plagg rammed his head onto her shoulder repeatedly.

"Wait a minute, Adrien wears the other earring to this set in his photos. It's my only connection to him left!" She said in awe.

She ran home and barged into the bakery where her parents were finishing up the order for tomorrow. She tied her hair back up and helped finish baking, Plagg didn't even question her at this point because he found a large hunk of camembert in her fridge and had a feast. She pulled out the box of bon-bons that she'd made for the bride and groom then ran up to her room. She quickly jotted a note and put it inside the envelope addressed to Adrien.

"Mom, Dad, I'm making a special delivery, I'll be back later!" she said and immediately ran out of the bakery leaving her parents behind with so many questions.

She ran up to the Agreste mansion and rang the bell. Nathalie answered via computer screen and Marinette cleared her throat.

"I have a delivery for Adrien Agreste. It's urgent." She said properly.

"Put it in the basket." Nathalie said flatly.

"No can do, he specifically requested that I deliver it myself." She lied with ease.

"He's busy at the moment and he's mentioned nothing about having a visitor, just put it in the basket and I'll ensure that he gets it right away."

Marinette became frustrated. "He specifically instructed me not to give it to **anyone** but himself."

"Then please make an appointment and come back later." Nathalie said as she turned off the monitor.

Plagg flew out of her hair in a fit of rage. "I've never liked that woman! _Pfft_!" he hissed at the black screen.

Marinette had to find a way to sneak in and she snuck around back. "Plagg, is there any way inside where Adrien used to sneak in?"

"Just one way, the crawlspace under the back deck. If you can sneak passed the guards by ducking under the rose bushes you can get in, but Adrien always had to transform to pull it off." Plagg explained and she smirked.

She transformed behind a tree and snuck behind the bushes. She entered the crawlspace and crawled her way under the basement and up the elevator shaft. She ninja'd her way inside the back hatch of the closet in Adrien's bedroom and landed swiftly on her feet on the floor, just as cats always land. She cracked the door open just enough to peek inside the room. She witnessed the evil Chloe in the arms of her perfect Adrien. She grit her fangs at the sight.

She gawked in horror as Adrien got on one knee and placed his lips on Chloe's hand. She let out a low rumble when she saw his perfect lips travel up her arm and to her neck. The witch giggled in delight at the man's touch. Marinette couldn't take it anymore, but she had no choice but to sit quietly in the closet until Chloe left the room.

' _He's definitely been akumatized. No amount of kindness from his heart could make him act like that for_ _ **her**_ _.'_ She thought as she closed the door, she didn't want to watch any more of the gross acts her darling was performing. She untransformed to have a word with Plagg.

"I have to give him this ring back so he can become Chat Noir again. I have to get my earring back so I can become Ladybug and cleanse him!" she explained.

"Hold up there Mari!" Plagg stopped her. "First of all when you willingly give up your Miraculous you lose your memories. That's how you both got into this mess in the first place. Secondly… You don't want to give him the ring before cleansing him, you **really** don't want to fight Chat Noir, especially with no memories of what's even going on."

Plagg was right, no matter what she did she couldn't just barge in and throw the ring on him.

"Also…" Plagg laughed nervously. "Only Ladybug can cleanse akumas. So…"

Just as he said that Marinette's earring glowed red and out popped Ladybug's yo-yo.

"Well that solves that problem!" Marinette said way too loudly. She clasped a hand over her mouth and Plagg facepalmed.

"Hurry, transform!" Plagg pleaded.

"Claws out!" she whispered and she transformed just as the closet door opened.

Adrien stood before her in awe, a female Chat Noir was in his closet. The two locked eyes before Chloe backed out of the room slowly then bolted for a hiding spot. She transformed into Hawk Moth and ordered Adrien to attack her.

"Get her! Take her ring off!" she commanded.

' _Yes, m'lady!'_ he thought as he grabbed at Chat's hand.

' _I need to grab his earri- oh no! He's not wearing it!'_ she thought as she squirmed in Adrien's grasp. She didn't like the idea of hurting Adrien, but he had no other choice. She twisted his arm behind his back and pushed him down. _'The akuma must be in his engagement ring, it's the only thing that makes sense.'_

She reached down for his hand and snatched it. She stomped on it with her foot and the akuma flew out. She used the yo-yo to grab and cleanse it. Adrien awoke in a daze on the floor. He looked up to see a female Chat Noir. He squinted his eyes and looked utterly baffled for a moment.

"Adrien!" Chat said as she kneeled down beside him. "There's no time to explain, where's your earring at?"

"Chat Noir?" he asked ignoring her words. She placed her hands on the sides of his head and repeated her question. "Chloe threw it away." He said in dismay.

" _ **In the trash**_!?" Chat gasped.

"No, in the koi fish pond out front. Why?" he asked but she was already on her way out to the front.

When she arrived at the pond she pulled on her own hair in frustration, the pond was simply massive. It would take her eons to search it. Then it dawn on her, the old Ladybug always used her yo-yo to create some sort of object to help her in battle.

"Lucky Charm!" she exclaimed and tossed her yo-yo up high. Out popped a very odd looking object. "A metal detector? _Perfect_!" she said with a slight purr of satisfaction and began locating the earring.

Within a couple minutes she'd found the specific fish that beeped. She hated harming a creature of such beauty, but the fate of Paris depended on it. She braced herself for the gore she was about to commit when she ripped this poor fish apart to get at the earring.

"Looking for some dinner, _kitty cat_?" came Chloe's snide laugh. Chat Noir turned around to see Hawk Moth, but as a young woman.

"No…. please don't tell me it's you, Chloe Bourgeois…"

"Oh it isn't…. it's Chloe **Agreste** now!" she placed a hand on her hip.

"Not until tomorrow it isn't!" Chat said as she ripped the fish in half and pulled the earring out. "I now have **both** of the Miraculouses. According to my kwami I am now unstoppable!"

"Not until you put them on and do a dual transformation according to **my** kwami." Hawk Moth said as she charged at Chat and attempted to grab the earrings.

Gabriele Agreste looked on in sheer confusion as two oddly garbed women fought in his precious koi fish pond. He called security and within seconds the two were surrounded. Chat used her pole to escape and fled back into Adrien's room where she pushed the earrings into his hands.

"Put them on! I don't care if you have to pierce your other ear, just put the both on right now and say ' _spots on'_!" she ordered. He just stared at her in shock. She groaned and put one earring into his already pierced hole and then shoved the other one into an empty hole just below it.

Tikki popped out and Chat gave the instruction again. "Say ' _spots on'_!" she repeated.

"Uh…spots on?" he said unsurely and Tikki was sucked back into the earrings before she even had a chance to process what was going on. Adrien transformed into Ladybug with an embarrassingly skin tight red suit.

Hawk Moth appeared just as Ladybug finished transforming. Hawk let loose an ear piercing shriek when she saw both Chat Noir and Ladybug standing together. This wasn't how she planned on winning over Adrien. Not only was her akuma over him cleansed, but now Chat Noir **and** Ladybug had returned. Chat and Lady didn't even consider fighting her, they immediately escaped together and ran down the streets of Paris.

"Chat, what in the world is going on!?" Ladybug asked with a wailing tone, he hadn't been this confused in three years.

"Sorry there's no time to explain, we have to get to a hiding spot and detransform before Hawk Moth finds us!" she said as she grabbed his wrist and lead him down an alley. The press followed suit and tried to keep up, but their super heroic moves were too much even for a helicopter or news crew van to capture.

They found themselves out in the middle of the woods where they finally stopped to catch their breath. They panted and sat on the ground as he unstransformed out of the Ladybug costume and laid flat on his back on the ground. Tikki hovered over him and looked around in sheet confusion. Chat let her transformation fall off as well and Plagg popped out of the ring.

"Hey Tikki, haven't seen you in over a thousand years!" Plagg wiggled his ears at her.

"Plagg?!" Tikki blushed, not that he could see it. "What is going on!?"

"Everyone keeps asking that and even I'm not entirely sure." He shrugged at the fellow kwami.

"Adrien, are you okay?" Marinette asked as she leaned over his heaving body. He squinted up at her.

"Marinette?" he asked with disbelief. "You're Chat Noir? But isn't he a **guy**?" He looked totally lost.

"Yes…well no…not exactly… I mean I was just now, but I wasn't then and I won't be tomorrow…or I think?" she rambled nervously at him as he gawked at her.

"Marinette, are we…" he paused to stare into her bluebell eyes with his lips parted slightly. "….are we _**super heroes**_?"

"I think so?" she shrugged.

"Augh!" Plagg groaned loudly. "Look, just give her the earrings and you give him the ring. Got it?"

"The earrings?" Adrien looked baffled as he reached up to his pierced ear and felt two earrings in it. "Oh right." He muttered. He took them off and Tikki vanished.

Marinette was about to remove her ring when Plagg interrupted. "Remember, trade at the _exact_ same time!"

"Why?" Adrien asked with a furrowed brow.

"It's complicated, but it won't matter soon. We have to trade back. You have my earrings and I have your ring." Marinette said as she slipped the ring off and showed it to him. Plagg was sucked back into the ring that she now held up to Adrien.

"I vaguely remember that ring. I used to wear it in photoshoots all the time!" he said as he held his hand out.

He dropped the earrings into her hand as she dropped the ring into his open palm. His heart skipped a beat while hers raced. The memories of only today were washed away while the old memories of three years ago returned. Her vision went hazy while his head spun in circles.

"A-adrien…?" she tilted her head as she witnessed boy-wonder himself in the flesh sitting across from her in the grass. His eyes focused on her and went wide.

"Marinette?" he asked in return as relaxed and took in his surroundings. "Where are we?"

"I think we're in the woods somewhere, but why?" she asked as she blushed gently.

The noon clock tower bells chimed signaling that it was lunch hour and it was break time for most of the workers in Paris. The chimes echoed in their minds as the memory of that night at the Eiffel tower flooded them. She leered at him with her big blue eyes and his heart was immediately captured.

" _Chat?_ " she asked in a breathy voice. The chimes continued their song as it echoed through the trees around them. He smiled almost pathetically, like he was seeing her for the first time ever.

" _Bugaboo_!" he exclaimed happily and jumped into her arms and almost crushed her very soul with his iron grip. She returned the effervescent hug and buried her tears into the collar of his shirt.

Tikki and Plagg looked on at the two in joy. They were just glad that they got their happy ending.

But oh wait….

"Oh….my god…" Adrien pulled away from Marinette and held her out at arm's length but the shoulders. She blinked up at him in confusion. "I'm engaged….to…to…" he tried to finish, but his heart sunk.

"To Satan, we know!" Plagg rolled his eyed.

Adrien grit his teeth as his fingers pressed harshly into Marinette's shoulders. She winced in pain and he released her with an apology. She looked up at him with those eyes that entranced him so much and a wave of emotions hit him, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. The love of his life stood before him, but he was bought and sold to another woman against his will.

"Adrien, you can break off the engagement, can't you?" she asked. "Or do you _want_ to marry Chloe?"

Adrien's eyes widened at her, he looked almost horrified. "No! I have no desire to be with her."

"Why not end it then? Why didn't you end it sooner?" she asked.

"Our fathers arranged it." He said with a hint of anger. "I can't disobey-….. Oh holy….." he froze in fear.

"What's wrong?" Plagg asked. Adrien trembled and choked back a bit.

"I…. We lost our memories before I gave Master Fu our Miraculouses. I gave the Hawk Moth Miraculous to Chloe as an engagement gift not realizing what it was!"

Marinette shared his moment of fear as pulled at his hair.

"Wait, why didn't Master Fu ever reclaim our Miraculouses in the first place?!" Marinette asked as she looked to Tikki and Plagg.

"I'm not sure, he's never hesitated before. I don't see why he didn't take them this time." Plagg answered as he used his tail to scratch his chin.

"Oh no!" Tikki whined. "What if something has happened to Master?"

"We have to go check on him!" Marinette exclaimed as she grabbed Adrien by the wrist and dragged him off into the streets of Paris.

She lead him through twisting and winding back roads until they came across a chiropractor's office. She knocked on the door and received no response. She grabbed the doorhandle and twisted it until it clicked open. She hesitated to push the door open, anything could be beyond there. Pensively she swung the door open and was met with an empty shop. They entered cautiously and scoped the area out.

"Master Fu?" Tikki called out in her dainty voice.

"Looks like he's not here." Marinette said.

"Well while we're here we could always check on the other Miraculouses." Plagg suggested.

"The other Miraculouses are **here? In this ship?** " Adrien asked in a low tone.

"Yeah, he keeps them in this record player." Plagg said as he flew over and hit the trigger to open the safe.

To their horror all of the Miraculouses were gone, even the previously unused ones like the fox and bee ones. Panic took hold as they tried to formulate a plan. Nothing was adding up and they felt cornered. If Chloe had the Hawk Moth Miraculous, was she going to turn evil just like the last one did? Was she manipulating their fathers into this engagement? Adrien had so many questions he wasn't sure which to discuss first.

"Uhh guys, trouble is coming!" Plagg pointed out the window to see a large balloon animal man wrecking a store.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette shouted.

Adrien followed suit. "Plagg, claws out!"

They transformed and he winked at her, she grinned back at him instead of her usual eye roll. She was at peace with this situation, for now. Together they dashed out of the store and charged at the balloon man head on. Chat staff whacked him and popped his legs while Ladybug used her yoyo to wrap up him arms.

" **Cataclysm!"** Chat shouted as he popped every last balloon that enveloped the man's body. "There, his red nose! It must be his akuma!"

She locked onto the clown's nose and punched him square in the sniffer. The butterfly emerged and she immediately snagged it in her yoyo and purified it. They stood victoriously as her lucky charm turned time backwards and undid the damage that the balloon man caused. All the poodles were turned back into real animals and all the cars and people were reverted.

"Pound it!" they said in unison as their pressed their fists together.

"We make like…the most _awesome_ team ever!" he exclaimed with glee. "I missed this feeling so much and I never even realized it!"

"I agree." She said simply with a gentle smile.

Within seconds camera crews and civilians were encircling them and bombarding them with questions. It was quite nostalgic to see the same old camera crew faces and journalists asking the same questions they did three years ago.

Alya would have been in hysterics and screaming for joy, if she weren't flipping out and running from a flying talking fox. She ran out of her room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen while screaming at the top of her lungs. The red fox followed her and a sigh of annoyance.

' _ **EVERY SINGLE GIRL!'**_ he thought as he felt a headache coming on. _'All of them run and hide from me!'_

"S-stay away! I bet you're an akuma!" she pressed her back up against the kitchen wall where the small fox had her cornered.

"I'm a **kwami**!" he retorted as he dodged a soup ladel. "I'm here to help you-Woah!" he shouted as he dodged a large cookbook.

"What in god's name is a _Kwami_!?" she stammered as she readied a frying pan.

"A quantum god! I'm here to help turn you into Volpina!" he said hautly with a huff.

"Volpina?" she quirked a brow.

"You know, like Chat Noir and Ladybug?" he asked as if she were stupid.

Alya's eyes and mouth opened wide as she lowered her weapon. "Like… I'm gonna be a super hero?"

"Eyyyup…" he said with annoyance. "Now hurry up and repeat after me. _Kyuubi, tails up_!"

"Kyuubi, tails up!" she said proudly. Her fear drained from her as the fox was absorbed into the necklace she'd found on her dresser. Her long ears and tail erupted from her body as the reddish-orange suit wrapped itself around her curvy body. A long flute appeared and she withdrew it from her tail-belt like a sword.

"Now **this** is what I'm talkin' about!" she grinned with her fangs out. "Chat Noir and Ladybug, your back up is on the way!"

 _ **BLK: I'll leave it here like this for tonight. I was going to add the others, but I'll get on that later tonight!**_


End file.
